New study: Too much or little sleep can make you ill

It is know that getting little sleep (less than 6hr) can be bad for your health, but a study of more than 50,000 people imply that people who sleep too much (more than 10 hours) or too little sleep are more likely to develop a range of physical and psychological conditions including coronary heart disease, diabetes, mental illness, anxiety and obesity.

Getting the ‘optimum’ amount of sleep each night reduces the risk of developing the diseases and can help those who already suffer with health problems common among the over 45s.

Sleep expert Dr Safwan Badr said: ‘A healthy, balanced lifestyle is not limited to diet and fitness - when and how you sleep is just as important as what you eat or how you exercise.

‘It's critical that adults aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night to receive the health benefits of sleep, but this is especially true for those battling a chronic condition.

‘Common sleep illnesses - including sleep apnoea and insomnia - occur frequently in people with a chronic disease and can hinder your ability to sleep soundly. 

‘So if you're waking up exhausted, speak with a sleep physician to see if there's a problem. 

‘If you are diagnosed with a sleep illness, treating it could significantly improve disease symptoms and your quality of life.’

On the other hand, scientists claim lots of rest is not necessarily good for health either.

Nothing seems to be safe anymore.